


Shades of The Whales in The Pained Deep

by Kyrathekiller



Category: Dishonored (Video Games)
Genre: Body Horror, Canon Compliant, Canon Rewrite, Gen, Imperialism, Kinda, Low Chaos (Dishonored), Mute Corvo Attano, Politics, Religion, canon is my sandbox and I will build and destroy as I please, death of the outsider? I hardly know her!, everyone here is a goddamn mess, it'll make sense later, lovecraftian undertones, the outsider actually looks 15
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:34:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26785243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyrathekiller/pseuds/Kyrathekiller
Summary: During her coronation, Jessamine Kaldwin looked like a goddess come to Earth. Her face pained with fine makeup turning her face into that of implacable porcelain; her high collar and dress of endless ruffles; her glittering gemstones adorning each finger, both wrists, her neck; and her crown, reflecting light to create a halo around her ebony hair. She was a true representation of the Empire: refined, enduring, and immortal.And yet on the eighteenth day of the Month of Earth, a dagger is plunged deep into Jessamine's heart. She bleeds out in the arms of her last protector, the eternal empire she represented begins to die with her.[Title taken from Miricle Of Sound's song "Distant Honor"](A retelling of the first Dishonored game, its DLC, and so much more)
Relationships: Corvo Attano & Emily Kaldwin, Corvo Attano/Jessamine Kaldwin
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	Shades of The Whales in The Pained Deep

Corvo,

I have missed you while you’ve been away. If I could trust anyone else with these matters, I would gladly send them so you could remain close. But there is no one else. The plague has taken so many. The Spymaster was right to insist that I send you. When you are away, every day seems a heavy burden. Even simple tasks seem worrisome. Emily is difficult to manage. And the great troubles of the city, the conflict and the plague, all seem insurmountable. But when you are near, it is different. My heart is at peace… 

Excerpt taken from an unsent letter from Empress Jessamine Kaldwin I to her Royal Protector Corvo Attono. Date unknown.

* * *

As the Whenhaven River appeared on the horizon, Corvo Attano felt a great weariness seep out of him. Perhaps, he thought, this was rather inappropriate given the news he bore, but he could not bring himself to care at that moment. He was home, at last. After nearly two months spent on a ship, traveling the isles on a fool's errand that he, in his own personal opinion, he had no reason to be on. Of course, the empress had given him her reasons and he had obeyed. He always would. 

_ “I cannot entrust this to any of my dignitaries. We are taken precautions to counter the spread of the plague, but I fear that if the true desperation of our situation gets out it will cause mass panic in Dunwall,” _ she had said.  _ “I know that diplomacy is not something you were ever trained in, but Burrows and I agree that he cannot go. I need him here to investigate the plague's origins. And there is no one in this world I trust more than you. Please, bring some good news home to us.” _

Well, he had failed her in that regard. Four Isles and twenty-five cities and all had refused to help. Of course, they had not been so direct about it. Each duke and baron and lord he’d met with had hemmed and hawed and wrung their hands together providing excuses and empty promises, but under all their flower words it all meant the same thing: no. 

Corvo sighed, pulling himself away from his thoughts, forcing himself to focus on the moment. It was a skill he had cultivated well in his years as a guard.

The sky above was slightly overcast, it almost always was in Dunwall. Once he had found that grayed sky to be gloomy, and certainly, it was a rather dramatic shift from the ever-present sunshine of his homeland, Serkonos. He still today found the sky to be a source of an everpresent gloom, but it had become a familiar and almost comforting gloom that encompassed the city like a comfortable old blanket. 

The wind felt cool and refreshing on his face, and it carried the salty scent of the sea with it. And there was something else Corvo could smell… blood? He looked off in the distance and sure enough, a large whaling vessel was docking. Though the details were impossible to make out from this distance, Corvo knew that the great, gray behemoth that was caged above the deck would be struggling in vain as a large slash was made across its underbelly and its blood would gush out of it like a red waterfall.

There was a great moan. The dying wail of… no that was just the ship's horn. It would be impossible to hear the whale from here-- 

“Lord Attano,” Captain Curnow interjected. Corvo was abruptly pulled from his thoughts. He turned to look at the man. 

Captain Geoff Curnow a simple man, was one of the things that Corvo liked about him. Unlike many other city watchmen, Curnow had no interest in climbing the social ladder, at least not actively. He would not force false smiles upon him in hopes of getting into the empress's inner circle. Nor was he one of the men who detested Corvo, seeing him as an up jumped foreigner who didn’t drive his position. Curnow respected Corvo and Crovo respected him, it was as simple as that. 

“What is it, captain?” Corvo asked.

“Sir, the ship is going to be docking soon. I’ve had the skiff prepared for us, as I assumed you’d prefer to go straight to the empress.” Curnow said.

“Very good, captain,” Corvo replied, already beginning to make his way towards the skiff.

They were lowered in rather sporadic jolts at first as the mechanism's joints had not been exercised recently, but eventually, it smoothed out. Curnow stood at the edge of the skiff calling up to the crewmen, making sure that a disastrous collision between the two boats was avoided.

“Steady hand,!” he called out. “That’s it, watch it!”

“Cast off line!” Came a voice from above.

“Casting off!”

Corvo braced himself as the small boat dropped two feet before hitting the water’s surface. He always hated that part the most.

“We’re away!” Curnow shouted as the guard sterling the skiff gave a signal to the crew. 

They rode to Dunwall Tower in silence. They were all glad to be home, but the news they’d brung with them cast a heavy shadow, killing any conversations they might start before the sounds left their throats. 

Soon though they were entering the great maw of the tower's personal dock. Great Iron doors swung closed behind them, the hinges sounding more like a scream with its shrill tone. 

It was strange to think that just thirty years ago how much manpower would have been needed to work a gate of that size. But that was before Roseburrow, before the whale oil and everything that it brought with it. Corvo had only been a child when the technological revolution made its way to Serkonos and he had few memories of what life had been like before.

Men began to shout orders and confirmations at each other. Raising their voices to be heard over the great torrent of water being released into the chamber. 

“Home at last,” Curnow mused idly as they reached the top.

“Home at last.”

Stepping off the boat, Corvo bid farewell to his travel companions. Nodding to the various guards stationed on the grounds, he made his way across the bridge to Dunwall Tower proper.

“Corvo!” Cried a singsong voice behind him. Corvo turned. “You’re back!”

Emily was dressed rather casually today, well, as casual as a princess could be dressed. And though Corvo was never one for fashion, even he had to question the choice of making a young child's play clothes all white. Corvo squatted down, opening his arms to pull the girl into his embrace. 

“Will you tell me about your trip? Please!” she begged as she squeezed her arms as tight as she could around Corvo. “Did you see any whales? Or pirates? Or-”

“Emily,” he cut the girl off. “One question at a time.” 

“Right, sorry,” Emily said as they pulled apart. “So what did you see?”

“Well, as loathe as I am to disappoint a princess, I must tell you that we encountered very little excitement on our journey.” 

Emily frowned. “Oh.”

Corvo chuckled lightly. “Now, now. Just because I didn’t see any great leviathans from the deep, or legendary pirate kings sailing by, does not mean I saw nothing of interest. I traveled all across the empire after all.”

“Really?” Emily’s smile had returned in full force

“Yes, really. But we’ll have to save the stories for later, my princess. I have important news that I need to give to your mother.”

“Aw, no fair. Can we at least play a game of hide and seek first? I’ll close my eyes and you hide.”

“I don’t think--”

“You have time! Mother’s busy talking to that wrinkly old Spymaster.”

Corvo thought for a moment. “Fine. But only one game.”

They ended up playing three. The first one, Emily insisted didn’t count as Corvo didn’t seem to be trying at all. After their second round, which ended only when Emily had called for him to come out cause she couldn’t find him, Emily demanded a third round as Corvo had not had a chance to be the seeker yet and that it was only fair that they both get a turn. It was only after he found her attempting to hide behind a shipyard crate that he was able to continue on his way. 

Emily lept up the stairs two at a time and quickly disappeared from Corvo’s sight. With a sigh, the Lord Protector began his own trek up to the pavilion. Out of the corner of his eye, a crimson red coat caught his attention. He turned and saw the imposing figure of High Overseer Thadius Campbell posing stiffly for the Royal Physician, Anton Sokolov, the brightest mind in the empire-- so it was said. 

“Welcome home, Lord Protector,” Campbell called. 

Corvo saw Sokolov lightly scoff as his subject broke his pose. “Stop moving, Campbell. And you, Corvo, welcome back from  _ wherever  _ you’ve been.”

“Thank you, High Overseer. And Sokolov, it’s always delightful to be graced with your presence,” Corvo retorted. “I’ve been on a tour of the empire, hoping to find aid for our… rat problem.”

Sokolov scoffed again. “A waste of time. My elixir will have banished the plague from this city before the year is done.”

_ We may not have that long, _ Corvo thought. But he did not voice his concern. Anton Sokolov was a rather prideful man, an arrogant man, some might say, and Corvo knew that any argument he started with Sokolov he would not win. Thadius Campbell was a rigid man, having been the leader of the Abbey of the Everyman for several decades now, he was a man completely devoted to his faith. Corvo could admire that. Though he was not as devout as some, any man who stuck to his principles no matter what, was a characteristic that the Lord Protector resonated with well. Bidding farewell to the men and continuing up the stairs, before he was out of earshot though he heard one more chastisement of Campell for not standing still.

Reaching the top of the staircase, Corvo turned the corner to see the empress and her daughter standing with the Spymaster in her white stone pavilion. Emperess Jessamine Kaldwin was a paragon of regality. Despite her dress being rather plain for an empress, she still managed to hold herself like a monarch at all times. Her back straight and her chin up, she presented herself as infallible leader ready to serve her people. And while it was true that she was all of these things, empress Jessamine was so much more.

A memory came to Corvo, vivid, and clear. In this same white stone pavilion. A garden freshly bloomed. The clean scent of rain hanging in the air. Long strands of black hair running through callused hands. A bird song after a storm. 

Corvo pulled himself from the past, standing at a respectful distance as not to intrude on his empress's private conversations, though he couldn’t help catching the end of their discussion.

“They are  _ sick,  _ not  _ criminals, _ ” Jessamine stated firmly, a slight heat in her tone. 

“We’ve gone beyond that question, your Majesty. They’re--”

“They’re my citizens,” She cut in sharply. “And we will do everything we can to save them from the plague. All of them.”

A tense silence fell between the two. “Very well,”

Seeming to sense her opportunity, Emily spoke up, “Mother.”

Jessamine’s demeanor quickly shifted, not showing her rougher side to her daughter. “What is it, Emily?”

“Corvo’s home.” She pointed. Jessamine turned to look, perhaps a little too quickly for an empress. Their eyes met and a feeling of warmth washed over Corvo. 

Jessamine turned to her Spymaster once again. “We will not speak of this again, you are dismissed.” The Spymaster smiled and bowed to the empress before turning in Corvo’s direction.

Spymaster Hiram Burrows might have been considered handsome once. He had a strong face and intense eyes, but his inability to retain a single hair on his head was rather a detriment to his appearance. His nose as well was not always seen as a desirable trait in Gristol as it is seen as an indication of foreign Tyvian blood in his heritage. Corvo had little interactions with the Spymaster, as the man’s position did not lend itself to lengthy interactions with anyone who wasn’t under his command. 

“Corvo,” Burrows drawled. “Two days early. You’re full of surprises, as usual.” It seemed to Corvo that there was something strained about his words as if he was trying to feign casual indifference. Corvo pushed his suspicions away. From what little he had heard, it seems as though he and the empress were in a rather heated debate, it was likely Burrows was just feeling stung from his curt dismissal and was trying to play it off.

“Yes, well our stop in Karnaca took less time than was expected and we were able to begin our trek home ahead of schedule.”

“Ah. Well, at any rate, it is good to see you. I will not keep you any longer, I’m sure you have some important news for our empress.” He gave Corvo a nod of respect, before heading down the stairway Corvo had just walked up from. 

“Emily, could you give us a minute, please,” Jessamine said as Corvo approached. The girl nodded cheerily and strolled over to the rose bushes on the right side of the pavilion. 

“Emperess.” Corvo bowed respectfully. 

“It’s a fair wind that brings you home to me, Corvo. What news have you brought?”

Corvo tried not to grimace as he pulled the replies from his coat and handed them over. Skimming through the various letters, the empress’s shoulders seemed to drop.

“I’m afraid all the replies are such, your majesty.”

Jessamine sighed turning away. “I had hoped that one of the other cities had dealt with this before. Knew of some cure. This news-- now--” She took a deep breath. “We’re at our breaking point.” She seemed to grow bitter. “The cowards. They’re going to blockade us. Wait to see if the plague turns the city into a graveyard. If we survive they can claim helplessness and if we don’t they’ll seize power in the absence of the monarchy. Either way, they win.”

“Mother!” Emily called.

“One moment, dear,” She replied. “Now, Corvo I need you to--”

“Mother!” Emily called again, and this time Corvo head a slight panic rising in her voice. He turned “There are men on the rooftop over there.”

“What! Emily come here, now!” Jessamine all but screamed. Corvo pulled his sword, now noticing the men Emily had pointed out.  _ How could they have gotten up there?! _ “Corvo! Where are the guards? Who sent them away.”

“I don’t know, just get behind me.”  _ If there were scouts on the roof that could mean that another group is going to attack soon. I’ll need-- _

Before he could finish his thought, two of the men from the rooftop seemed to vanish and in an instant, they were right in front of him, swords brandished. 

For the first time in many years, Corvo felt panic swelling inside him. He fired at the man on the right. He disappeared.  _ Did I hit him?  _ Another man, in the same mask, appeared on Corvo’s left-- or was it the same man. He and his partner lunged forward. 

Corco parred one blow and spun away from the other. He felt a pain in his side. A bolt had struck him.  _ Where?  _ A third masked man appeared, Corvo swung his sword around and it caught on the second man's blade. The man, focused on overpowering Corvo, was unprepared for Corvo quickly pulling his arm away. The man fell forward. Corvo fired twice, forcing the first and third men to disappear for a moment. He took the opportunity and stabbed through the fallen man's back. He stilled. In an instant, however, the other two reappeared.

_ I’m dreaming. Damn it, I’m dreaming. This isn’t-- _

They attacked him together, there assault seeming to grow more furious upon seeing their dead comrade. The pushed Corvo back and he could not block every blow. He felt himself being slashed repeatedly, but he could not let the pain distract him. 

He heard someone scream.  _ Emily.  _ Corvo whirled around. While he had been busy fighting he had failed to notice two new figures approach. Both wore red coats in place of black, but only one wore the mask. The man without a mask had grabbed onto Emily and was pulling her away. Corvo slashed with all his strength, pushing back the first man and killing the other. He ran forward. He froze.  _ What!  _ He was being lifted into the air. A strange green glow seemed to grab onto his throat and start to choke the life from him. It was the one in the red coat. Corvo could only watch helplessly now. 

It seemed to happen in an instant but also an eternity. He watched as Jessamine bulled into the leader.  _ Daud. Daud. It must be Daud.  _ She managed to force him to let go of Emily. He struggled, though each movement felt as though it might kill him he still struggled. He felt tears prick the corners of his eyes. Daud turned his attention to Jessamine. Grabbing her throat he forced her against the railing.  _ She had sat on that railing once before. The day we first kissed.  _ Daud pulled his blade back and plunged it deep into the heart of Jessamine. 

The force of his thrust pushed the blade completely through her body. Pieces of mussel were stuck on his sword as he pulled it back out of her. Blood rushed from her breast, hot and gushing. Corvo went limp. He didn’t know what was happening anymore. Emily shouted. Was that his name she was calling?

He hit the stone. The men were gone. They had taken Emily. 

With what little strength remained to him, he crawled over to the bleeding form of Emperess Jessamine Kaldwin. He turned her over and cradled her head in his arms. He could see the wound fully now. He could see  _ inside  _ of her. He saw a heart desperately pumping, not understanding that it was dying. He saw shattered pieces of rib, indistinguishable from the whale bones that littered shipyards. Blood soaked into him. Her blood. 

“Corvo…” She managed to stutter out. Blood was filling her mouth and began to spill over her lips. His vision blurred, it almost looked like that makeup she hated. “Pro.. tect… Em..” Her eyes were glazing over. She looked at him, but she did not see him. 

“I will.”  _ Outsider, let me wake up! I’m still on the boat! It’s not real. Please, please, pleasepleasepleasee.  _

He did not notice as the royal guard ran up to find him cradling the dead empress. He did not hear as Hiram Burrows denounced him for a traitor and a murderer. And he did not feel the blunt end of the sword hitting him in the back on the head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw man, what am I doing? Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter and let me know what you think. I'm always open to constructive criticism or just plain old gushing about dishonored. 
> 
> Some notes:
> 
> I tried to find an exact date for the discovery of whale oil by Roseburrow to no avail. But given that he first met Sokolov 17 years before the main story starts, I gave a rough estimation for the time in which I assumed it would have been reasonable for him to start implementing his inventions. 
> 
> Also, Corvo may kinda seem dumb here in how he views the people who betrayed him. But I mean hindsight is 20 20 and I think it adds to the overall tragedy this way.
> 
> Also, this is my first time really writing a fight scene, so please do let me know if it was messy or hard to follow at any point. 
> 
> Thanks again.


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